Turning the Page

Just as Li Huowang was about to turn back, he saw the albino girl shyly slip off one of her shoes and remove a gold anklet wrapped in red thread from her ankle, the skin pale almost to transparency.

He took it wide-eyed, weighed it in his palm. Thin, yes, but gold — likely worth a fair sum.

Satisfied, he stuffed the items into the wide sleeve of his Daoist robe, then pointed at the white-haired girl. "Listen up," he said. "From now on, the ingredient room is hers. Everyone answers to her."

Seeing the hesitant nods, Li Huowang picked up the prepared alchemical ingredients and headed for the alchemy hall.

As he walked, he stole glances at the waists of the others, searching for another jade pendant. But he found none.

When he reached the hall again, he saw the oppressive cauldron slowly opening. Several dark-blue pills flew in a neat row into the earth-yellow gourd at Danyangzi's waist, swept there by a flick of his sleeve.

Li Huowang's eyes burned with envy. That must be the divine ability Xuanyin had mentioned. Would there be a way to learn it himself? "Money-grabbing shows my narrow vision. If I could bring this ability back to reality…"

He bent down and set down the ingredients, then stood off to the side, nose to mouth, eyes to heart. He still knew nothing — better to watch and listen.

"Xuanyang~"

"Another errand? So soon? Am I just a delivery boy? Can't stay a delivery boy forever — I need to find a way to get that baldy to teach me that divine ability."

Li Huowang cupped his hands in a formal bow toward the calling Danyangzi. "Master, what is your command?"

"Go. Bring the ingredient called Bai Lingmiao from the ingredient room."

Li Huowang's heart lurched. His right hand, still in the bow, reached into his sleeve and touched the gold anklet wrapped in red thread. Bai Lingmiao — that seemed to be the albino girl's name.

"Mm~?" Danyangzi turned to look at his new disciple, who hadn't moved.

Li Huowang's teeth ached. He'd just said he'd protect her. Now he was supposed to go back and tell her to come die? That didn't sit right.

"Did you not hear me?"

Sensing Danyangzi's tone turning ugly, Li Huowang let out a helpless sigh and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was back in the clean white hospital room. "What do I do now?"

In the past, he'd have obeyed without a second thought. But now the other world might very well be real. If he actually brought her there, he'd be killing someone. He couldn't stomach that.

After the nurses released him, Li Huowang paced the room, biting his thumbnail. "What to do… what to do…"

Before he could figure it out, the door pushed open. His attending physician walked in.

Li Huowang gave a bitter smile. Stuck from both sides now. No escape.

The doctor shook his head in disappointment. "You… wait till your visiting family leaves. We'll talk then."

"Visiting family?"

Before Li Huowang could react, he saw his mother, Sun Xiaoqin, walk in, looking haggard, carrying a bag of fruit.

"I heard you got into a fight in the hospital? What happened to your head? Why the bandage? Does it hurt?" She rushed over, inspecting him anxiously.

"Mom, it's fine. I'm fine. Really. They're the ones who aren't fine," Li Huowang soothed.

It took a while, but he managed to keep his mother from crying.

In front of his own flesh and blood, all the troubles from that other place had to be set aside for now.

"Don't worry. I'm doing well. My condition is a lot better. I haven't fallen behind on my studies either. Once I'm discharged, I can still take the college entrance exam." Li Huowang kept to good news only.

"Don't lie to me. The doctor already told me. Tell me — what happened that day? Who started it?"

Li Huowang recounted it as calmly as he could, but it didn't seem to help much.

"We were in the right! Why should we pay compensation! They were the ones who messed up! Even if they're sick, it's the hospital's duty to supervise! Our family never bullies people, but we can't be bullied either! If they want to sue, let them sue! We'd win in court too!" Sun Xiaoqin slammed the table loudly.

The doctor awkwardly rubbed his nose. Li Huowang continued calming her down. "Mom, mom, don't get upset. You finally made it here — just keep me company for a while."

Sun Xiaoqin suppressed her anger and took out fruit from the bag. "Don't worry about this. I'll handle it. Here, these are your favorite milk grapes. Eat more. Look how thin you've gotten. The hospital food must be bad, right?"

"No, no, the food here is pretty good." Li Huowang sat beside his mother and ate.

Listening to her complaints, tasting the sweet grapes, his heart settled.

He loved this feeling. He hadn't experienced this family warmth since entering the hospital.

Looking at his mother, he nearly opened his mouth to tell her everything. But the words stopped at his lips.

No. She's not like Yang Na. If I tell her, she'll only think my condition has worsened. I can't let her worry anymore. Once everything stabilizes, I'll tell her.

Just as mother and son were chatting happily, the attending physician's phone rang. "Ms. Sun, the family of the other patient has also arrived, so…"

"Son, stay put and eat more. I'll buy you more when you're done."

Sun Xiaoqin said this gently to Li Huowang, then straightened her back, turned, and strode toward the door like a rooster ready to fight.

For some reason, watching her retreating figure, Li Huowang felt an immense sense of security.

His mother was domineering, but as long as she was near, he felt safe. She was like a huge umbrella over his head, sheltering him from the wind and rain. All the anxiety from earlier troubles vanished.

"Heh, the lobby's going to be lively very soon." Li Huowang plucked another greenish-yellow grape and bit into it. Sweet juice burst in his mouth.

Just as he thought this, his body swayed violently. Everything around him began to shift color. "Ah, Mom coming made me forget how to bluff that baldy. What do I do now?"

When the world stabilized again, Li Huowang found himself standing in the ingredient room. Danyangzi stood not far away, his expression grim. The other human ingredients had their heads bowed low, forming a circle.

Danyangzi's filthy right hand turned over. In his palm appeared a wriggling black mass, sticky and writhing, each twitch making a sound like a toad licking an eyeball.

"Huh? Not using Bai Lingmiao for alchemy? He's turning the page?"

After a second's hesitation, Li Huowang asked, "Master, what is that?"

"Hmph. A good thing. Tai Sui. Black Tai Sui."